Predictors of death and mode of death among patients with acute chest pain in various age groups.
OBJECTIVE
To describe predictors of death and mode of death among consecutive patients in various age groups admitted to the emergency department with acute chest pain.


METHODS
All such patients admitted to Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Göteborg, Sweden, between February 1986 and November 1987 were prospectively registered. These patients were divided into three age groups: i.e. those aged less than 50 years; those aged 50-75 years; and those aged more than 75 years.


RESULTS
In all, 5016 patients participated in the evaluation, of whom 24% died during 5 years of follow-up. One factor was independently associated with death in all three age groups: a normal electrocardiogram in the emergency department (better prognosis). Whereas a history of hypertension or smoking were associated with a worse prognosis in the two lower age groups (age < or = 75 years), a history of diabetes mellitus or congestive heart failure and male sex were associated with a worse prognosis in the two higher age groups (age > or = 50 years).


CONCLUSIONS
Among patients with acute chest pain various risk indicators for death during long-term follow up can be defined in various age groups. However, a normal electrocardiogram on admission to hospital was an independent predictor of a low death rate in all age groups.
Herlitz
J
J
Division of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Karlson
B W
BW
Sjölin
M
M
Lindqvist
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric